Lancaster, York voters head to polls Tuesday

Voters in much of Lancaster County and part of York County will go to the polls Tuesday in a Republican primary for an open seat in the state legislature.

When then-State Sen. Mick Mulvaney successfully won a seat in Congress last November, it left his seat in the General Assembly empty. Now, seven candidates are running to succeed him in the solidly conservative District 16, largely led by five Republicans. The seat represents most of Lancaster County, as well as the towns of Fort Mill and Tega Cay.

The field is led by former State Sen. Greg Gregory, Mulvaney’s predecessor who held the seat for 16 years before retiring in 2008. Also running for the GOP nod are Brian Carnes, who serves on the Lancaster County School Board, Tea Party activist Rob McCoy, therapist Wendy Pretzel, and York County Councilman Mike Short.

The winner will face Democrat Keith Brann and Libertarian Stan Smith in April.